Ahaziah King of Israel

2022-11-05

Ahaziah son of Ahab had a short two-year reign over Israel. He served idols and false gods like his father and mother did. He was in league with Jehoshaphat king of Judah, like his father. They were to send out ships to Tarshish and Ophir from Eziongeber, but the Lord broke them there, and they never sent. Ahaziah tried to pursue it further by sending servants, but Jehoshaphat would not, for the king of Judah heeded the word of the Lord according to Eliezer the prophet (1 Kings 22:48-49; 2 Chronicles 20:35-37).

Moab rebelled against Israel, and there is no evidence that he had the strength to do anything about it (2 Kings 1:1).

When he fell through the lattice in the upper chamber in Samaria, he became sick and sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the false god of Ekron. Elijah intercepted this messenger and told him he would die for circumventing the LORD and going to a false god (2 Kings 1:2-8).

Twice Ahaziah sent a captain over fifty soldiers to fetch Elijah, and both times the prophet said something to this effect: “If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty” and the 51 were consumed (2 Kings 1:9-12).

When a third captain with his fifty came to Elijah in fear, Elijah accepted him, and the Lord permitted him to go with the embassage. Nonetheless, when Elijah went to King Ahaziah, and the message would not change. He never sought the God of Israel, so he died.

This king could have learned from his father’s mistakes. Ahab did have some repentance later in his reign. He knew all what Elijah the prophet did in the name of the LORD. Instead, he sought a god that was false, having no power to heal or help. He did not listen to the prophet Eliezer concerning the gold expedition. Because he did not seek the Lord, his reign was fruitless and short.

...Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly (2 Chronicles 20:35)

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done. (1 Kings 22:52-53)

Learn from others’ mistakes. The ways of the wicked will be cut short.

This is a part of the Kings of Israel series. To go back to the table of contents, proceed here.